Video Conference on November 24, 2010

Youth Declaration via Teleconference

Through many presentations and discussions on tiger situation, the threats to tigers, government policy on tiger conservation, and youth action in conserving tiger in each country, all youth delegates have discussed the draft of YOUTH DECLATION and finalized it. The word in Youth Declaration are the word that we, youth, declared via video conference or teleconference to support the action of head of government in 13 tiger range countries on their effort in conserving tigers. Following is the Youth Declaration to the head of governments during Tiger Summit in St. Peter Berge.

An Appeal by Participants of the International Youth Tiger Forum

We, the youths participating in the International Youth Tiger Forum in Vladivostok, Russia, in this Year of the Tiger, appeal to the world to save the tiger. We represent all 13 tiger range countries (Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand, and Vietnam) and the United Kingdom.

During these past few days, we have learned more about the plight of the tiger, its decline and the threats facing the species. Not only is the tiger hunted, it is also losing much of its home – the forests.

We know for many of our countries, development is important. However, we do not want development that results in us losing many of the world’s natural wonders and wild species like the tiger. We want our children to be able to inherit a living planet full of the wonders of the natural world.

The tiger knows no political boundaries. For example, tigers from Russia travel to China, and tigers from Nepal frequently cross into India. Likewise, tigers from Laos trespass the border into Vietnam, before wandering into Cambodia.

We therefore call on the governments of the countries that still have tigers in the wild, to urgently unite in efforts to save the tiger and double its numbers in the wild by 2022. Only by swiftly acting together across borders can we reverse the situation and stop the decline of tiger populations.

We also call on the governments of economically developed countries to support national and international programmes on tiger conservation through providing funding and technical support. The conservation of the biggest cat on the planet for future generations is a noble and essential investment. Tigers live in forests rich in biodiversity; therefore, tiger conservation will have immeasurable benefits for overall nature conservation, as well as for the many local communities who rely on these areas for basic needs and ecosystem services such as food, water and timber.

We invite the world’s youths to join us in supporting tiger conservation. Our youth action plans have a role for everybody keen to lend support to the youth tiger conservation movement – from increasing awareness to mobilizing youths to take action; from adopting a green lifestyle to actively volunteering in activities such as replanting of degraded forest areas.

We pledge to continue in our role as Tiger Ambassadors to actively promote activities and mobilize the youths of the world in doing our part to conserve one of the world’s most iconic symbols of biodiversity conservation.

Let us together make this year a turning point for the tiger.

Thank you                                                                             

                     

I always remember the last word that we said together after the Youth Declaration which was *LET`S SAVE THE TIGER TOGETHER!* The best words ever. We, youth, will put this word into action after be are back to our homelands.

Unforgetable Field Trip to Amur Tiger Territory

The morning of November 20 came, that day we needed to get up earlier thant he previous two days. We ate breakfast and went to catch the bus for our field trip to Kedrovaya Pad state nature reserve and Orlinoe model hunting estate. Youth delegates were splited into two groups. Group O, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, China and Russia, was the group that went to Kedrovaya Pad state on the first day of field trip and group K with the rest of delegates went to Orlinoe model hunting estate first. On the next day group O and group K would exchange their place to visit. We were in the O group, so we went to Kedrovaya Pad state nature reserve before the K group.

1st day field trip to Kedrovaya Pad state nature reserve

After two hours travelling, our O group reached an area which controled by WWF and it is called WWF visitors` centre Land of the Leopard (Barabash village).

The entrance of WWF visitors` centre Land of the Leopard (Barabash village).

This is the centre in the Land of Leopard seeing from the front

The Beginning of YTS

Russian Tiger Hero, standing in the middle, said with the grief of Tiger Death

After the whole day trip, we came back to the hotel and gathered up to make a formal introduction about ourselves to other 13 countries youth delegates. Just right after our introductions, WWF staffs brought us a very hot news about tiger in Russia. Olga, one of the organizing committee, surprised us by introducing two rangers—one is a Tiger Hero in Russia, and another one is his colleague. The hero standed in the middle of the three people in the photo expressed his satification on seeing youth taking part in tiger conservation and also welcomed all youth delegates to the Amur Tiger territory. Eventhough he was very happy to see us there, his face showed that he was in grief of the tiger death just a few days before our arrival. One tiger in his protected area was pouched, so he was so sad. Yet, he said he would not give up trying to reveal the poacher of this hunting. Along with this sad news, he shared his experience of being a ranger, and how he could gain the name as Tiger Hero. His background is not so different from the background of Khmer Tiger Hero, Mr. Lean Kha. He used to be a tiger poacher before. However, when industrialization came, he realized that the nature that he loved to live in was gradually destroyed including the number of tigers in his area. Seeing the distraction, he decided to work as ranger with WWF as he knew that tigers are very vital for the whole environment. His point of view about tiger conservation is saving tiger is saving forest and also other spacies in the forest, so it worth him to take part as ranger. Being a ranger is not easy, he added; I have encountered many problems during my 13 years work in the field especially the problems with poachers. He went on that the main purpose of his effort on conserving tiger is saving this greatest creature for his next generation. He told us that he once brought his son to the protected area and show the little kid about the Tiger Footprints. The little boy asked him that DADDY ARE YOU PROTECTING THIS ANIMAL? And his answer was YES! THAT IS MY WORK, and NOW I STILL PROTECTING THEM. He went on telling us that he is not so proud of being a HERO but what he is being proud of the most is HE CAN PROTECT THE TIGER FOR HIS LITTLE CHILD and CAN SEE THE IMPRESSION OF HIS CHILD ON HIS ACHIEVEMENT ABOUT TIGER PROTECTING.

I personally admire him for his action. Being hero is not easy, but it worth being Tiger Hero since you can preserve the this wonderful spacies and inherit the colorful and green world to your next generation. I am very please to be able to take part in Tiger conserving actions and  to take action for the future of my next generation. I HOPE YOU WILL JOIN US!

 

Vladivostok view looking from the top of the hill

Travelling almost 1 hour from the hotel, finally we were at a place where we could buy some souvenirs from Vladivostok to give to our families and friends back home.

 

Foreign Countries Currency Exchanging

This was not business^^. Cash exchange here is something about culture exchange. Youth delegates from all the country exchange their currency to others as souvenirs. Exchage currency, exchange varieties and exchange cultures.

Famous Castle in Vladivostok

After having lunch together with all delegates, we toured around Vladivostok city. This is one of the best pictures that I have captured from the adorable view of Vladivostok city.

Vladivostok downtown

What I have noticed about Vladivostok is there are many car drivers. We stucked in the traffic jam almost every time when we got out. This is maybe because of the cold weather there. People will be frozen if they drive motobikes like what we do back home.  

Taking a walk around the hotel campus with Chinese, Myanma and

Thai delegates on November 18, 2010

Though getting to know each other session had not done, we had already got ourselves to know each other already. We took some free times to walk around the hotel while we were waiting for the arrival of delegates from South Asian countries, and that was the time that we started exchanging information about Tiger in each country as well as culture.

Hotel view from outside

Special decoration for International Youth Tiger Conservatioin Forum inside the hotel

Along the right side of the stairs up to delegates room, there were many pictures of tiger paw prints, children activities during Tiger Day in Vladivostok such as drawing and painting tiger pictures, applying color of tigers on their faces and the like. Those pictures were really inspired us to do more action to save tiger from exinction.

The 1st dinner in Sedanka Hotel, Vladivostok, Russia

After 8 hours waiting, finally we got on board on Vladivostok airline. It took us about 2 hours to reach Vladivostok airport. We arrived at Vladivostok airport at 8 pm. We met Yulia, WWF staff, who had been waiting for us to drive us to the Sedanka Hotel, the resident that we stayed at for the whole forum. We reached the hotel about 9pm and it was time to eat dinner. On that day, we ate our first and special Russian meal in the internet room of the hotel with other youth delegates from Mayanma and Malaysia.

Korean King and Queen traditional dress

Because there was no direct fly from Cambodia to Vladivostok, we had to transit at Incheoun International Airport. We arrived at Incheon at 7 am after 5 hours traveling from Cambodia to Korea. There we spent our 8 hours walking around the airport, doing shopping, and eating Korean food. While we were walking, we were very surprised to see Korean people wearing their custom clothes in the Airport to promote their culture.

ការចេញដំណើរដើម្បីចូលរួមវេទិកាយុវជនអន្តរជាតិ​សម្រាប់ការអភិរក្សសត្វខ្លា

នៅថ្ងៃទី​ ១៦ ខែ​ វិច្ឆិកា ឆ្នាំ ២០១០​ បងស៊ាងលី​ និង​ខ្ញុំបានធ្វើដំណើរចាកចេញ​ពីប្រទេសកម្ពុជា​ដើម្បីចូលរួមនូវវេទិកាអន្តរជាតិ​មួយ​ហៅថា "វេទិកាយុវជនអន្តរជាតិ​សម្រាប់​ការអភិរក្ស​​សត្វខ្លា​" ដែលត្រូវបានធ្វើឡើងចាប់ពី​ថ្ងៃទី ១៨​ ដល់ ២៤ខែ វិច្ឆិកា ឆ្នាំ ២០១០​​​ នៅឯទីក្រុង វ្លាឌីវ៉ូស្តុក របស់​ប្រទេស​​​រុស្ស៊ី។​

November 16, 2010, Ms. Seangly and Ms. Srey Oeun departed from Cambodia to attend an International Youth Tiger Conservation Forum which was held from November 18-24, 2010 in Vladivostok, Russia.